Springfield Standard

Missouri State University’s men’s soccer team will open its American Conference schedule at home against Temple on Friday, September 12, at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Missouri. The match is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.

The Bears currently hold a 2-1-1 record this season. Their most recent game ended in a tie with Central Arkansas, following an away win over Penn State by a score of 3-1. In that match, senior Diego Real scored his first goal for the team, while fellow senior Fumiya Shiraishi contributed two goals. Missouri State began their season with a 4-1 victory over Seattle, where Shiraishi scored all four goals and tied the school record for individual goals in a single match. This performance earned him the American Conference Offensive Player of the Week award.

Shiraishi has played a significant role in the Bears’ offense so far this season, being involved in seven out of eight total goals either as scorer or assister. He leads NCAA Division I in goals per game (1.50) and has twice been named American Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

This upcoming game marks the first meeting between Missouri State and Temple’s men’s soccer teams.

Under head coach Michael Seabolt, Missouri State has recorded three consecutive seasons with at least twelve wins. Since 2019, the Bears have posted an overall record of 85-16-11 (.808), including a conference record of 46-2-4 (.923) and are ranked sixth nationally for home performance with a record of 47-8-6 (.820). The team finished last year with the fifteenth-best win percentage nationwide (.722).

Missouri State has qualified for six straight NCAA tournaments since 2019—one of only seven Division I programs to do so alongside Clemson, Georgetown, Indiana, Marshall, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh.

The Bears have also appeared in national rankings from United Soccer Coaches during each of the past eight seasons and were included in both polls released so far this year.

In terms of shot accuracy over recent seasons, Missouri State has consistently ranked among the top eight teams nationally. Last year they placed fourth after putting nearly half their shots on target (124-of-240; .517).

Senior goalkeeper Will Lowry finished fifth nationally last season for lowest goals-against average (.674), conceding only nine times across more than 1,200 minutes played. The defense allowed just fifteen goals throughout last season—tied for ninth-fewest nationwide.

The program begins its first year competing in the American Conference after thirty-four years as part of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). During their time in MVC play since 1997, they won twelve regular-season titles and four tournament championships while making nine NCAA Tournament appearances.

Preseason polls predict Missouri State will finish fifth in its new conference but note that it received one first-place vote and is only two points behind second place. Senior Alex Matthews was selected as preseason all-league pick and is one of twenty-nine players on this year’s Hermann Trophy Watch List—the award given annually to college soccer’s top player.

Four returning players earned All-Missouri Valley honors last season: Alex Matthews (first team), James Jennings (second team), Fumiya Shiraishi (second team), and Will Lowry (second team).

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